Angry Metal Guy

Serenity – War of Ages Review

By Steel Druhm on March 18, 2013 in 2013, 4.0, Austrian Metal, Heavy Metal, Napalm Records, Power Metal, Reviews, Heavy Metal, Power Metal, 17 comments

“Serenity have been releasing solid power metal albums for a while now, but so far they seem to be fairly underrated. I really enjoyed their older releases, especially Fallen Sanctuary (“The Heartblood Symphony” is a great fucking song). No small part of their appeal comes from the fact that singer Georg Neuhauser sounds a lot like Sonata Arctica’s Tony Kakko, but Serenity’s music is heavier and more ballsy than anything Sonata has attempted in ages. War of Ages sees the band right the flagship and find the proper balance between their increasing symphonic leanings and their prior metal edge. The result is a good approximation of what Kamelot would sound like if they replaced Roy Kahn with Mr. Kakko and continued on their merry, pirate-shirted way. ” Do you like Sonata Arctica? Do you like Kamelot? Well according to Steel Druhm, this is so deep in your wheelhouse, you’ll never get it out!

Nails – Abandon All Life Review

By Natalie Zed on March 17, 2013 in 2013, 4.0, American Metal, Death Metal, Reviews, Southern Lord, Death Metal, 4 comments

“After whetting listener’s appetites with recent 7” Obscene Humanity, a palate cleaner of reconfigured and re-recorded material that was both tantalizing and ultimately unfulfilling, South California’s abrasive hardcore hatemongers have finally released Abandon All Life. An able follow-up to their breakthrough record, Unsilent Death, Abandon All Life displays depth, maturity and sophistication while losing none of the blistering rage and ferocious energy that first captured their audience’s attention.” Natalie Zed takes a gander at the crusty, bruising noise being churning out by these Entombed-influenced death rockers.

A Transylvanian Funeral – Gorgos Goetia Review

By Madam X on March 16, 2013 in 1.5, 2013, American Metal, Black Metal, Norwegian Metal, Rating, Releases, Reviews, 0 comments

“When I think old-school, ’80s or early ’90s style black metal my mind naturally spirals through the rabbit hole landing squarely in the frozen planes of Norway to bands like Darkthrone and the rawness of Transylvanian Hunger or Mayhem’s De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas, my mind certainly doesn’t go bounding off like Alice into the dusty, critter infested, heat of Tucson Arizona. Nor, to be more precise, towards Sleepwalker and his one-man homage to Satan – A Transylvanian Funeral.” Madam X sat through 72 minutes of old school black metal and came out on the other side to tell you about it… Poor lady.

Record(s) o’ the Month – February 2013

By Angry Metal Guy on March 15, 2013 in 2013, Blog Posts, Record o' the Month, 31 comments

So as everyone from the southern hemisphere has apparently noticed, a record of the month for February has not actually be chosen. This is, honestly, because the month really didn’t shine like one would hope it would have. Not to say that none of the records were good or even very good – they were! — but while others at the blog were fairly enthusiastic about certain releases, none of them really reached the heights that I think they should have to be awarded with the Record o’ the Month with ease. Still, a tradition is a tradition, and Angry Metal Readers have been pestering me non-stop about it. So, here it is.

Total Negation – Zur späten Stunde | Zeiträume Review

By Noctus on March 14, 2013 in 2.5, 2013, Black Metal, German Metal, Reviews, Temple of Tortorous Records, Uncategorized, Black Metal, 3 comments

“With a project name like Total Negation, it’s very difficult to be mistaken when it comes to what you’re in for. More or less taking the feeling of being pessimistic and forming it into a sound would be a start, as far as descriptors go. Total Negation is a German black metal project that takes every feeling of despair and discontent and forms it into a distant, almost apathetic sound. What Total Negation do is very differently from other similar bands taking black metal in a more depressive route – think Xasthur or perhaps even Spektr for example.” Join Noctus as he dives into the evil white cube that is Total Negation.

October Falls – The Plague of a Coming Age Review

By Angry Metal Guy on March 13, 2013 in 2013, 4.0, Black Metal, Debemur Morti, Epic Metal, Finnish Metal, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Atmospheric Black Metal, Black Metal, 22 comments

Back in ’10—when I was wearing an onion on my belt ’cause that was the fashion in those days—I reviewed a record from Finnish atmospheric black metallers October Falls called A Collapse of Faith. At 40+ minutes of a single song, my Angry Attention Deficit Disorder hindered me from loving this record. While it was good, had great melodies, interesting ideas and an old school production that added a fuzzy atmosphere to the whole thing, I was never able to really bring myself to come back to it. It might have been perfect for some of the depressing, snowy days that we get here in Sweden, but I’ve got a quite bit of go-to music for that. Still, I was curious was when I received the promo for The Plague of a Coming Age. With its fantastic cover art, and its 9 easily distinguishable songs, I thought this might be a step in a direction I could enjoy.

Clive Burr Dies

By Angry Metal Guy on March 13, 2013 in Blog Posts, 8 comments

So Clive Burr, the drummer who graced Iron Maiden’s first three records, died yesterday. He’d been in a wheel chair for some time because of MS. I’m sure you’re all aware that he was sick and that the band had been helping him out. Maiden apparently released some statements about it that I’m just going to post verbatim here below. But I just want to take a minute to say that without the drums of Clive Burr Iron Maiden would never have been the same band. Whatever is said about the comparison between Nicko and Clive, it should be noted that Clive’s feel was damned good and really special. Need I link “Run to the Hills”? Of course not. But I will anyway ’cause it’s a great song. Those first three records are better because of him.

October Tide – Tunnel of No Light Review

By Steel Druhm on March 12, 2013 in 2013, 3.0, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Pulverised Records, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Death Metal, Doom Metal, 6 comments

“Steel Druhm is a sucker for well done doom death with oodles of morose, melancholy atmosphere. Yep, I like stuff that makes me feel as if I’m slowly drowning in an ice cold Finnish lake as wood gnomes and forest elves cry and throw Mardi Gras beads into the water (just go with it, don’t analyze). Because of these predilections, I heartily enjoyed the last opus from this bunch of downcast Swedes, which featured several members of Katatonia at one time or another. After some line up changes and a few years away from the game, October Tide skulks back with Tunnel of No Light and it’s business as usual (that business being depressing but darkly beautiful music).” But is the business as successful as before? Steel Druhm splashes about and does his best to answer that very question.

Von – Dark Gods: Seven Billion Slaves Review

By Natalie Zed on March 11, 2013 in 2013, 3.0, American Metal, Black Metal, Reviews, Black Metal, 3 comments

“A few short years ago, Von appeared to be one of those seminal back metal bands who were only recognized for their genius and influence post-mortem. Hailing from San Francisco, CA, Von were arguably the first American black metal band, and inarguably were hugely influential in establishing black metal’s second wave aesthetic. Formed in 1987, the band disbanded in 1992 after a releasing a pair of demos and recording, but not releasing, a third. Over the years, copies of their demos and live bootlegs were hunted by collectors, especially before the internet made sharing and copying as simple as it is now. For over twenty years, aside from the 2003 release of the Satanic Blood Angel demo compilation and live record, Von were silent and inactive, though their influence has touched bands from Dark Funeral and Enthroned to Taake and Watain.” Natalie Zed is here to tell you how that’s workin’ out for ’em in 2013.

Neaera – Ours Is the Storm Review

By Happy Metal Guy on March 10, 2013 in 2.5, 2013, Death Metal, German Metal, Metal Blade, Metalcore, Reviews, Death Metal, Metalcore, 17 comments

“If you mow the lawn to Heaven Shall Burn like Happy Metal Guy—which is supposed to be a good thing—you would kinda do the job almost as well with Neaera. Ours Is the Storm is this band’s sixth studio album and it serves as nice filler for HSB fans to feast on until the next HSB album drops like a giant pile of bird poop all over the world from mid to late April (← also supposed to be a good thing).” Happy Metal Guy steps in to tell you all about the new Neaera record. Now with proper capitalization!